This invention relates to a tool connecting mechanism for machine tools. The tool to be connected may be a probe for measuring a workpiece held in the machine tool or it may be a cutter for machining the workpiece.
It is known from United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,445,977 to provide a probe for use in measuring workpieces, the probe comprising a first and a second number, one of the members having three first support elements arranged at each of three locations spaced about an axis, the other member having three second support elements engageable with the respective first support elements, means for axially urging the members into engagement at said first and second elements, the first and second elements being constituted a kinematic support means locating the members against relative displacement transversely to or rotationally about said axis. One of the members is adapted to be secured to the head of a coordinate measuring machine and the other one of the members is a holder for a stylus for sensing a workpiece to be measured.
Such machines may be operated to carry out measuring operations automatically under the control of a programmed computer, and the need has arisen to be able also to change the stylus by an automatic operation. Automatic tool change apparatus is known in machine tools for example from United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,429,049 but such apparatus is relatively complicated.